You Don't Have To Be Alone
by O-Zoe Kuchiki
Summary: Tsukishima's final moments before he passed away...and someone reaches out on his desperate plea for help. Hint of Byakuya x OC not too much though...


**A/N: Hey it has been a while since my last story, but i plan on finishing it. I decided to write a new fanfic which i was inspired to write by the last episode of Bleach. I changed it just a little bit and added a few more things including two Oc characters which are myself and a friend of mine. Hope you guys enjoy, and please review :)**

**Summary: Tsukishima's last moments before his death…someone reaches out to him.**

**Warning: Angst, hurt/comfort, hint of Byakuya x Oc(Zoë)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or it's characters. Tite Kubo-sama owns all of them. **

**You don't have to be alone**

The wind wafted after the intense battle between Ginjo and Ichigo had ended with the orange haired Substitute Soul Reaper as the victor. There was a moment of silence as the spectators watched on as the defeated Ginjo took his last painful breath before surrounding to the eternal slumber that had become his fate. Just as everything seemed to be calming down, a figure appeared swiftly behind Ichigo intending to end his life as it raised his sword to deliver the finishing blow,

"**NO!**" came a voice from within Rukia which was not hers as it seemed to shock her as well.

Her body moved on its own as it shielded the stunned Ichigo, a bringer light appeared on her chest seemed to open in a double door like manner. The attacker, who appeared to be a bleeding Tsukishima, seemed just as stunned as Riruka suddenly took his attack by her shoulder slicing her magenta hair in the process. His eyes widened at the damage he did, his widened gaze averted to the fallen Ginjo

"**DON'T DIE GINJO! YOU CAN'T!**" he screamed desperately with a distressed expression not wanting to believe that the man that had been the only one to be there for him, has left him alone.

"**HE'S DEAD! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!**" The magenta haired girl snapped at the brunette which seemed to make him realize the fact that his friend/leader had passed on and had been defeated. It seemed to trigger some lonesome emotions and memories for Tsukishima, to when and how he first met Ginjo.

'_Ginjo…you taught how to live and how to use my powers. You taught me how to fight. So why, Ginjo WHY?! Why did you never teach me what I should do when you were gone…I don't want to be alone' _ he thought to himself, just then he coughed up blood from the fatal wound he had received from Byakuya earlier. He fell onto his knees still dry heaving painfully. He can feel that his life was slowly fading away. It was scary…not that he was dying, but the fact that he was dying alone and that he had no idea what to do. His heart was slowly deteriorating, but he tried his best to keep it lively a bit longer. Tsukishima seemed lost, didn't know what to do…without Ginjo, he felt as if his purpose for living was nonexistent.

"I…I don't…want…to…be a…alone…" he uttered with his blood cover lips, short of breath from the strain of saying those words.

Footsteps were slowly approaching the brunette as he seemed to be holding on to dear life, said person who had been approaching Tsukishima suddenly stopped beside him and dropped to their knees. His hazed vision averted to the figure seeing that it was one of the soul reapers meaning they might be putting him out of his misery, but instead of being slain where he was…he felt a gentle hand lay on his cheek before another made itself known on his other cheek. Wouldn't need a genius to figure out that it was a touch of woman that he was feeling. It was foreign, strange, warm…but not unwelcome. He slowly looked up to whomever was holding him and had mentally prepared himself to meet a sympathetic or even an amused expression, but instead he was met with soft smile directed at him.

The woman in front of him had was a dark beauty with light skin, she had long free wavy black hair that went up to her waist with strands that went just underneath her eyes in length. Two beauty spots on the right side of her face with on above her eyebrow and the other the side of her cheekbone. Light brown eyes held a soft understanding within them. Beautiful full plump lips that still held the smile that was still directed at him. She wore what seemed to be wearing a backless shihakushō and a long sleeved white coat above it that was slightly different to the captains haori. Instead of a squad number on the back, it wrote "Punishment Force" in kanji. She also had on white arm covers that are held up by a ring on her middle fingers(Byakuya and Rukia wear the same things). A simple choker with a sakura flower on her neck. To Tsukishima, she seemed like an angel not that he would know what an angel looked like.

"You don't have to be alone…" said the light skinned woman in front of him.

"Vice Commander Zoë, what do you think you're doing?! That man—" Toshirou said before being cut off by Byakuya placing a hand before the squad 10 captain before he can say anything further. Said captain turned to look at the squad 6 captain,

"Kuchiki, what ar—" Toshiro stopped when he saw that Byakuya just remained quiet and was observing what was happening. He was unsure of why Zoë was doing, but he wouldn't stop unless he deemed necessary…he trusted her.

Zoë had heard what the 'book of the end' wielder had said after almost killing Ichigo before Rukia or Riruka stepped in to stop him. The ones with the most extraordinary and powerful abilities always suffer from loneliness because of not being understood or being scared of. She had witnessed a few others with the same behavior in past battles. One had been good at hiding his loneliness even with his power being so great, Sousuke Aizen. Her friend, Mel had tried convincing their group of how lonely the man had been and that all he needed was someone to be there for him, but she had been told there is no such and that Aizen was just pure evil. Soul Reapers do not need emotions if they will hinder their judgement. That was one of the rules of the Soul Society. When Ichigo Kurosaki had mentioned how when he had made connect with Sousuke's zanpaktou, he could feel his loneliness that was than that Zoë's suspicions were proven. After that moment, she had made a promise with herself to help whomever came along and faced the same dilemma as Aizen and Muramasa.

"Ginjo has put it in your head and heart that you only need him to survive, that he is your only friend…that is not true. You had plenty of friends and there is a vast of friends for you to make in the future." She pointed out still holding his face, before pulling him forward into an embrace with his head on her shoulder placing her hand behind his head caressing his shoulder length hair. This kind of startled Tsukishima as he kept his breathing steady, he certainly wasn't used this type of affection and didn't realize how much he needed it.

"S-Someone like me…d-doesn't deserve nor…can have…any friends…it's just a…distant…d-dream." he breathed out. He wanted to move out of the embrace so badly and he knew he could because the woman he now knows as Zoë held him in such a way that gave him the freewill to detach himself if he wanted to, but he hasn't felt this safe in long time and for some reason…he felt that he can trust her.

"Dummy…everyone needs friends or at least someone to lean on when the going gets tough. it may not seem like it, but you were just that to Ginjou." She pointed out matter of factly which caused the injured man to freeze at what the female soul reaper said.

"Not only that…but I can tell that you crave the need to be needed and depended on that's why you used your abilities to alter people's memories by inserting yourself. It may have been him who devised the plan, but deep down your deepest desire was to be needed and to have friends hence your fullbring which is the evolving of ones inner desire from what I gathered. And you know what" she began as she held him slightly tighter

"…it's okay because it is that which shows that you are a normal person with feelings. Besides, I can also tell someone out there already depends on you and needs you." Immediately after saying that, someone stepped out the forest into the light. Tsukishima pulled away slowly from the woman to look at the arrival, his eyes widened again a bit

"Shishiguwara…" he whispered before a genuine smile appeared on his bloodied lips. "I see now.." he said and turned to Zoë who was smiling with her eyes closed. He was about to say something to her, but she beat him to it.

"No need to thank me and since you are heading to the Soul Society…feel free to come see me whenever you feel me to knock some sense into you" The dark haired woman pointed out with goofy grin as stood up and began walking towards Byakuya and the others who were walking away.

Tsukishima watched as she walked away and thought back to the day he met Ginjo.

**_Flashback_**

_"__You're alone, little one?" the substitute soul reaper Ginjo said with a smile towards the young boy he found sitting under the tree alone. _

_"__Don't worry…you don't have to be alone anymore. It will just be you and me from now on"_

**_End of Flashback_**

The man nodded towards the retreating form as his proclaimed apprentice picked him up onto his back, Zoë stopped and turned to look at him as if she forgot something.

"By the way, I don't think introduced myself. Vice Commander of the Punishment Force of the Soul Society, Zoë…Zoë Kuchiki. Remember that…Tsuki-san!" She called out with a thumbs up to him before turning away and disappearing into the forest. Said man laid his head on the middle school students shoulder and let out a soft chuckle.

"Now how could I forget that…"

The light skinned woman kept walking through the forest, as she was nearing the area where the senkaimon had been summoned, she noticed that someone was waiting before her. A smile appeared on her lips when she saw the white hoary which had gold linings and the number six behind in kanji.

"You waited for me," Zoë said as she arrived behind him, " I hope I didn't keep you long. You could have left me behind. I would have answered to the head captain why I came back alone." She said scratching the back of her head smiling.

The raven haired Kuchiki clan leader turned around to look at the woman, he had grown used to the way she operated. Even though she was in the stealth Force and should be heartless and cold all the time, she chose her moments and could turn a blind eye when she deemed necessary. Truly a wonder. Not that he would express that freely in public. However, he would never abandon her when and if she needed him even if she didn't need him, her loyalty, respect, care and love for him has been apparent for as long as he can remember. By any means necessary, he will show the same towards her because that is how he feels.

"We came here together, I would not act barbaric and leave you behind. I am—"

"classy that way…yeah I know." She mimicked him by speaking simultaneously as him before chuckling, "I do appreciate it, ya big softy" she said before walking towards him and stood on her tiptoes kissing his cheek.

The noble clan leader's face stayed neutral even though it almost faltered at that moment, he cleared his throat and turned away from his spouse. His purplish-grey eyes averted away with a funny expression on his face as he began walking away.

"I can assure you, I am not a softy now make haste" he said in his stoic tone as he walked but a small smile appeared on his lips as they headed for the senkaimon.

"Awww Byakuya, come back! Don't be mean! Wait for me! I'll make seaweed ambassador cookies!" She called out running after him while laughing. Boy was it fun to make Byakuya tremble.

Shishiguwara kept walking with Tsukishima on his back heading the opposite direction. A trail of blood following them from the heavily injured man. His breathing was slowly becoming faint…his vision too much of a haze yet he had a few things to say.

"S-Shishiguwara, y-you d-don't have t—"

The middle school student chuckled at that as he kept carrying Tsukishima out of the forest,

"What do you mean 'I don't have to", I am you're apprentice after all. I respect you so much Mr Tsukishima and I know you are going to pull through" he said laughing wholeheartedly as he kept moving.

The heavily injured brunette kept silent fora moment before smiling gently as he was being carried by the boy.

"I see…Thank you…Shishiguwara" he said softly with the smile still in place

"Hahaha there's no need to thank me Mr Tsukishima! Like I said,I am your apprentice! Oh look…the sun is coming out" Shishiguwara exclaimed enthusiastically.

'_In the end…I wasn't alone_' Tsukishima thought to himself before succumbing to his wounds and passing on with a smile on his face.

AAAAAAND It's done. I hope the readers liked it. It's holidays for me so I will be writing a whole lot more! Thanks again for reading and please review. Your reviews mean a lot! Ja'ne!

~Zoë?


End file.
